Right now, all the "congestometers" point to low. That's a good sign for shippers. It means that at eight major U.S. ports, it's "business as usual, with no serious congestion, delay, or diversion of cargo anticipated," according to the key provided in the latest "Port Tracker" report. Port Tracker, a port monitoring service, uses the congestometers (which look something like an automobile's gas gauge) to alert shippers to potential port delays.
But as good as things look now, there's reason to worry. "Looking ahead to the coming 2006 peak season, we see continued challenges to system performance due to continued growth in trade that will start again within the next two months," warns Paul Bingham, an economist with Washington-based Global Insight, an economic research, forecasting and analysis firm.
Bingham heads up Global Insight's Port Tracker program, a subscription service that monitors inbound container volume, rail and truck capacity into and out of the ports, labor conditions, and other factors that could affect cargo movement. Following the ill-starred 2004 holiday shipping season, when ship logjams caused protracted freight backups at U.S. ports, the National Retail Federation commissioned the service to forewarn its members of problems.
Early warning may give shippers peace of mind, but it's no guarantee of trouble-free shipping. "As we must every year, we can expect some shocks to the system," Bingham says, citing the 2005 natural disasters and fuel price spikes as examples.
But natural disasters aren't the only threat to smooth-running port operations. What has the industry really worried is a rising tide of imports (particularly from China) that threatens to overwhelm the already- strained U.S. port and inland transportation infrastructure. Global Insight expects import volumes to rise more slowly this year than last, but Bingham points out that import growth will still outpace the overall economy (as well as any infrastructure development). "That means new record volumes," he says. "Staying in place is not going to cut it."
Diversionary tactics
Looking back at the 2005 peak shipping season, Bingham acknowledges that ports operated much more efficiently than they had a year earlier. "There was nothing on the scale of 2004," he says. That was partly because shippers shifted shipments away from the busy Los Angeles/Long Beach complex, routing them through other West Coast ports like Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma as well as through Savannah, Norfolk and Houston. Those shifts may well become permanent. Some of those ports are aggressively pursuing business, says Bingham, who notes that they're even developing regional distribution centers to attract Asian imports. The ports are likely to find a receptive audience for their pitches. Bingham believes many shippers are redesigning their networks to bring their shipments into the country at ports closer to the goods' destination, rather than simply bringing everything in through LA/Long Beach.
In the meantime, ports themselves are taking steps to ease the congestion. Los Angeles/Long Beach, for example, has expanded its port hours and instituted the OffPeak program, which offers shippers incentives to pick up containers at night or on weekends. So far, it appears to be working. PierPASS, the not-for-profit company that administers the program, says more than a million trucks were diverted from peak traffic periods between July, when the program was launched, and the end of last year.
Still, these measures are just temporary fixes. Diverting freight to other ports and rescheduling loading activity eases the pressure on the busiest facilities, but it doesn't solve the congestion problem. In fact, George Powers, president of American Port Services, which provides trans- loading, deconsolidation, warehousing, and distribution services, warns shippers who plan to shift cargo to East Coast ports that inland infrastructure could be an impediment. "I-95 is congested already," he says of the major north-south highway along the East Coast. "More freight will just add to the problem."
Running out of options In the meantime, other problems have emerged. Ironically, at a time when ports already face a capacity crunch, ocean lines are putting huge mega-containerships into service. These large vessels, though profitable for the carriers, present operating challenges to ports. Not only do they require special cranes and deeper channels, but larger ships also mean substantial surges in volume—the biggest of these ships carry more than 6,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Furthermore, not all ports can accommodate the large vessels.
Another problem is a shortage of inland transportation capacity. "The railroads were still pretty strained last year," Bingham says. Though Hurricane Katrina may have been partly to blame, Bingham still worries that the railroads will continue to be slow to add capacity.
In the past, shippers have circumvented rail capacity problems by bringing ships through the Panama Canal to ports on the East and Gulf Coasts, which eliminates the need for a cross-country haul. But that may not be an option much longer. A study done last year by London- based Drewry Shipping Consultants concluded that the canal, through which about a quarter of all trans-Pacific freight passes, was already operating in excess of 100 percent of its practical capacity—a level the report's authors termed "unsustainable."
That may ease ... a bit. Drewry expects short-term improvements will add about 10 percent to capacity by next year. There's also been talk of a major canal expansion project, but that won't begin anytime soon. The proposal, which still requires multiple layers of approval, faces ecological, technological and financial obstacles. And if Panama does go ahead with the expansion, Global Insight estimates that canal fees will double over 20 years to pay for the project.
Capacity problems in the canal zone would most likely ripple back to West Coast ports, which means it's doubtful shipping patterns will shift significantly in the near term. "Los Angeles will still be the dominant port," Powers says. "It has ... the location." The location, perhaps, but not the capacity, according to one consultant. The Drewry study warns that the West Coast ports could face a capacity shortage of 1.8 million TEUs as early as 2008. As bad as that sounds, the longer-term outlook is worse: Drewry says the shortage could swell to 6.5 million by 2010.
E-commerce activity remains robust, but a growing number of consumers are reintegrating physical stores into their shopping journeys in 2024, emphasizing the need for retailers to focus on omnichannel business strategies. That’s according to an e-commerce study from Ryder System, Inc., released this week.
Ryder surveyed more than 1,300 consumers for its 2024 E-Commerce Consumer Study and found that 61% of consumers shop in-store “because they enjoy the experience,” a 21% increase compared to results from Ryder’s 2023 survey on the same subject. The current survey also found that 35% shop in-store because they don’t want to wait for online orders in the mail (up 4% from last year), and 15% say they shop in-store to avoid package theft (up 8% from last year).
“Retail and e-commerce continue to evolve,” Jeff Wolpov, Ryder’s senior vice president of e-commerce, said in a statement announcing the survey’s findings. “The emergence of e-commerce and growth of omnichannel fulfillment, particularly over the past four years, has altered consumer expectations and behavior dramatically and will continue to do so as time and technology allow.
“This latest study demonstrates that, while consumers maintain a robust
appetite for e-commerce, they are simultaneously embracing in-person shopping, presenting an impetus for merchants to refine their omnichannel strategies.”
Other findings include:
• Apparel and cosmetics shoppers show growing attraction to buying in-store. When purchasing apparel and cosmetics, shoppers are more inclined to make purchases in a physical location than they were last year, according to Ryder. Forty-one percent of shoppers who buy cosmetics said they prefer to do so either in a brand’s physical retail location or a department/convenience store (+9%). As for apparel shoppers, 54% said they prefer to buy clothing in those same brick-and-mortar locations (+9%).
• More customers prefer returning online purchases in physical stores. Fifty-five percent of shoppers (+15%) now say they would rather return online purchases in-store–the first time since early 2020 the preference to Buy Online Return In-Store (BORIS) has outweighed returning via mail, according to the survey. Forty percent of shoppers said they often make additional purchases when picking up or returning online purchases in-store (+2%).
• Consumers are extremely reliant on mobile devices when shopping in-store. This year’s survey reveals that 77% of consumers search for items on their mobile devices while in a store, Ryder said. Sixty-nine percent said they compare prices with items in nearby stores, 58% check availability at other stores, 31% want to learn more about a product, and 17% want to see other items frequently purchased with a product they’re considering.
Ryder said the findings also underscore the importance of investing in technology solutions that allow companies to provide customers with flexible purchasing options.
“Omnichannel strength is not a fad; it is a strategic necessity for e-commerce and retail businesses to stay competitive and achieve sustainable success in 2024 and beyond,” Wolpov also said. “The findings from this year’s study underscore what we know our customers are experiencing, which is the positive impact of integrating supply chain technology solutions across their sales channels, enabling them to provide their customers with flexible, convenient options to personalize their experience and heighten customer satisfaction.”
Transportation industry veteran Anne Reinke will become president & CEO of trade group the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) at the end of the year, stepping into the position from her previous post leading third party logistics (3PL) trade group the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), both organizations said today.
Meanwhile, TIA today announced that insider Christopher Burroughs would fill Reinke’s shoes as president & CEO. Burroughs has been with TIA for 13 years, most recently as its vice president of Government Affairs for the past six years, during which time he oversaw all legislative and regulatory efforts before Congress and the federal agencies.
Before her four years leading TIA, Reinke spent two years as Deputy Assistant Secretary with the U.S. Department of Transportation and 16 years with CSX Corporation.
National nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) kicked off its 2024 season this week with a call for volunteers. The group, which honors U.S. military veterans through a range of civic outreach programs, is seeking trucking companies and professional drivers to help deliver wreaths to cemeteries across the country for its annual wreath-laying ceremony, December 14.
“Wreaths Across America relies on the transportation industry to move the mission. The Honor Fleet, composed of dedicated carriers, professional drivers, and other transportation partners, guarantees the delivery of millions of sponsored veterans’ wreaths to their destination each year,” Courtney George, WAA’s director of trucking and industry relations, said in a statement Tuesday. “Transportation partners benefit from driver retention and recruitment, employee engagement, positive brand exposure, and the opportunity to give back to their community’s veterans and military families.”
WAA delivers wreaths to more than 4,500 locations nationwide, and as of this week had added more than 20 loads to be delivered this season. The wreaths are donated by sponsors from across the country, delivered by truckers, and laid at the graves of veterans by WAA volunteers.
Wreaths Across America
Transportation companies interested in joining the Honor Fleet can visit the WAA website to find an open lane or contact the WAA transportation team at trucking@wreathsacrossamerica.org for more information.
Krish Nathan is the Americas CEO for SDI Element Logic, a provider of turnkey automation solutions and sortation systems. Nathan joined SDI Industries in 2000 and honed his project management and engineering expertise in developing and delivering complex material handling solutions. In 2014, he was appointed CEO, and in 2022, he led the search for a strategic partner that could expand SDI’s capabilities. This culminated in the acquisition of SDI by Element Logic, with SDI becoming the Americas branch of the company.
A native of the U.K., Nathan received his bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering from Coventry University and has studied executive leadership at Cranfield University.
Q: How would you describe the current state of the supply chain industry?
A: We see the supply chain industry as very dynamic and exciting, both from a growth perspective and from an innovation perspective. The pandemic hangover is still impacting decisions to nearshore, and that has resulted in a spike in business for us in both the USA and Mexico. Adding new technology to our portfolio has been a significant contributor to our continued expansion.
Q: Distributors were making huge tech investments during the pandemic simply to keep up with soaring consumer demand. How have things changed since then?
A: The consumer demand for e-commerce certainly appears to have cooled since the pandemic high, but our clients continue to see steady growth. Growth, combined with low unemployment and high labor costs, continues to make automation a good investment for many companies.
Q: Robotics are still in high demand for material handling applications. What are some of the benefits of these systems?
A: As an organization, we are investing heavily in software that will allow Element Logic to offer solutions for robotic picking that are hardware-agnostic. We have had success deploying unit picking for order fulfillment solutions and unit placing of items onto tray-based sorters.
From a benefit point of view, we’ve seen the consistency of a given operation improve. For example, the placement accuracy of a product onto a tray is far higher from a robotic arm than from a person. In order fulfillment applications, two of the biggest benefits are reliability and hours of operation. The robots don't call in sick, and they are happy to work 22 hours a day!
Q: SDI Element Logic offers a wide range of automated solutions, including automated storage and sortation equipment. What criteria should distributors use to determine what type of system is right for them?
A: There are a significant number of factors to consider when thinking about automation. In my experience, automation pays for itself in three key ways: It saves space, it increases the efficiency of labor, and it improves accuracy. So evaluating which of these will be [most] beneficial and quantifying the associated savings will lead to a “right sized” investment in technology.
Another important factor to consider is product mix. With a small SKU (stock-keeping unit) base, often automation doesn’t make sense. And with a huge SKU base, there will be products that don’t lend themselves to automation.
With any significant investment, you need to partner with an organization that has deep experience with the technologies that are being considered and … in-depth knowledge of the process that is being automated.
Q: How can a goods-to-person system reduce the amount of labor needed to fill orders?
A: In most order picking operations, there is a considerable amount of walking between pick faces to find the SKUs associated with a given order or set of orders. Goods-to-person eliminates the walking and allows the operator to just pick. I have seen studies that [show] that 75% of the time [required] to assemble an order in a manual picking environment is walking or “non-picking” time. So eliminating walking will reduce the amount of labor needed.
The goods-to-person approach also fits perfectly with robotic picking, so even the actual picking aspect of order assembly can be automated in some instances. For these reasons, [automation offers] a significant opportunity to reduce the labor needed to fulfill a customer order.
Q: If you could pick one thing a company should do to improve its distribution center operations, what would it be?
A: Evaluate. Evaluate the opportunities for improving by considering automation. In my experience, the challenge most companies have is recognizing that automation is an alternative. The barrier to entry is far lower than most people think!
Toyota Material Handling and its nationwide network of dealers showcased their commitment to improving their local communities during the company’s annual “Lift the Community Day.” Since 2021, Toyota associates have participated in an annual day-long philanthropic event held near Toyota’s Columbus, Indiana, headquarters. This year, the initiative expanded to include participation from Toyota’s dealers, increasing the impact on communities throughout the U.S. A total of 324 Toyota associates completed 2,300 hours of community service during this year’s event.
The PMMI Foundation, the charitable arm of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in the packaging and processing industry. Each year, the PMMI Foundation provides academic scholarships to students studying packaging, food processing, and engineering to underscore its commitment to the future of the packaging and processing industry.
Truck leasing and fleet management services provider Fleet Advantage hosted its “Kids Around the Corner Foundation” back-to-school backpack drive in July. During the event, company associates assembled 200 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for high school-age students. The backpacks were then delivered to Henderson Behavioral Health’s Youth & Family Services location in Tamarac, Florida.
For the past seven years, third-party logistics service specialist ODW Logistics has provided logistics support for the Pelotonia Ride Weekend, a campaign to raise funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. As in the past, ODW provided inventory management services and transportation for the riders’ bicycles at this year’s event. In all, some 7,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers participated in the ride weekend.